How I was Healed From Hepatitis C & How I Learned that Medicine is Not the Enemy of God (Part Three)

When I say I got ready, that was in every sense of the word. I was about to go to battle. I had to pick up my weapons to fight. I knew spiritually, if I was going to go through this treatment, I was believing to go through it with NO side effects. I wrote out my healing scriptures BEFORE I went to battle. I meditated on the Word of God BEFORE I began treatment. I was in training. I have a notebook where I wrote out things my prayer friends spoke over me (I wrote about that in the second part of this testimony.) During treatment, all of these scriptures would speak life to me on days when I needed it.

I got ready physically. I was about to go through a treatment that would in the natural lower my white blood cell count, cause extreme fatigue and throw my body in a loop. I was determined to go into it healthy and come out of it even stronger. I set out to work out, eat extremely healthy, no sugar. Honestly, the sugar one lasted about a week. Oh well. I really enjoyed that fro-yo. I didn’t even consider going off coffee just in case you’re wondering. I had found some research that said it actually is very beneficial to those going through treatment. I also heard that it caused more side effects, but I liked the first option better, besides I was believing for no side-effects. And I definitely drank coffee like it was going out of business.

So the time came to begin treatment. Here’s what the treatment consisted of:

They call it triple therapy, because I had to take three medicines.

1. Sovaldi (the new FDA approved medicine)- take 1 in the morning

2. Ribavarin – take 1 in the morning and 1 in the evening

3. Interferon- 1 Shot once a week. Interferon is the one that usually has horrible side effects such as flu symptoms. Not everyone who goes through treatment has to do this. Certain geno-types of the virus do. The doctors said I had geno-type 1a, which was the hardest to treat, so I had to have this medicine.

Tuesday, January 15, 2014 at 8:00 in the morning, I got my communion elements, my Bible and my medicine and got ready to begin this journey.

They say to take the interferon shot on the same day every week and to give yourself 2 days to recover from it each week. The flu-like symptoms rush in right after the shot and it takes about 2 days to really be able to get up after that.

I chose Tuesday, since I traveled mostly on the weekends. Actually, it was probably the worst time to do a treatment that people said would pretty much be a “forced” vacation. My book, ABBA, was coming out during treatment, along with traveling for ministry and book opportunities. This looked like the worst time to do something like this, but I knew it had to be done.

God’s timing is perfect. The timing that I found out, just “randomly” after a blood test. The timing of the new treatment. The timing of getting this cleared out of my system. No more dumb thoughts like “You’ll pass this on to your future children.” “Your liver won’t last you long.”

Shut up devil.

You’re done.

The blood of Jesus is in my bloodstream. The whole, merciful blood of Jesus.

So every day I took this medicine, 7 AM and 8 PM on the dot. Every Tuesday I took the interferon shot. And friends, every day I saw miracles.

NOT ONCE did I take the shot on Tuesday and it take me out for the day. There were days I forgot I was even on this treatment.

But then there were days where I was constantly reminded. I was walking through, believing for NO side effects and I can honestly say the only things I faced was some fatigue (Had to take a nap about once a day…I am NOT a nap person. But sleep is good, right?) and a few days where I threw up. But even in those days, I had my prayer friends. Even in the days where I was faithless, guess what…God was faithful.

My prayer friends constantly stood in the gap for me in prayer. When I wasn’t feeling very full of faith, they stood in faith for me. I didn’t always, every day have an overwhelming faith in God. But every day God showed me His GRACE. I also whole-heartedly believe it was the Scriptures I stored up in my heart BEFORE treatment that sustained me DURING. I remember something my aunt has said, “Store up the Word in your heart when you don’t need it, and it will come out of your mouth when you do.”

God showed up in so many ways, many surprising and unexpected. Two people that I know of, I was able to share my journey with them. One a wife, the other a daughter of someone who had been diagnosed with Hepatitis C. Both situations, they were unable to go through treatment because of the harsh side effects of the old treatment. But now, without interferon it was doable.

One person I know began the treatment and is currently walking through treatment, holding on to the promises of God.

A virus that was in his system for years and years, can be cleared with the power of God and the tools that have been revealed.

I’m so grateful God had crossed our paths with each other. I was able to share His testimony and faithfulness.

Another cool testimony. Girls, you’re gonna love this one. One side effect was hair loss. Interferon is a form of chemotherapy. It is used for cancer patients in large doses, much larger than treatment for hepatitis C. But in Hep C treatment, many people’s hair thins out. They cut their hair to make sure it’s not stringy and patchy.

Oh, also it is suggested that you don’t color your hair. Well…Even at 27, let’s just say I have come to the point in life where it would probably be a good idea to color my hair. I mean, Gray is beautiful…and if you want to rock it, then rock it well! But…I’d like to stay a brunette..like, forever.

I colored my hair about twice, didn’t cut my hair and believing to not have any hair loss.

This was a big thing to believe for. It’s probably the most common side effect on interferon.

Friends. My hair did not thin AT ALL. In fact, it actually got thicker.

This next part I’m about to tell you is the absolute truth. And it is AMAZING.

Even without treatment, you lose about 100 strands of hair a day. It’s the natural process of things.

Near the end of treatment, I was washing my hair and seriously, no joke…NOT ONE hair came out of my head. NONE! I pulled my fingers through my hair to see if any would come out…It was amazing.

The next time I washed my hair, only one strand came out.

What?!

This doesn’t even happen in the natural.

It doesn’t make sense.

I believe it was God saying, “I have you.” He was showing me that it truly was beyond natural.

Every blood test I took (So many…) I took it expecting the virus to be GONE. My liver enzymes normal and liver function perfect.

When I began treatment, my viral load (Amount of virus in my system) was 2,000,000 copies. It sounds like a crazy high number, but it is about Med-High amount. My liver enzymes (AST + ALT) from what I remember in the 70’s-100’s range. The normal is 0-40 or so.

Before I began treatment, I received a sonogram (wasn’t pregnant…) to check my liver condition.

Having the virus in my body for 25 years, I got the amazing report that my liver had little to no damage. Many people’s livers fail before 10-20 years.

God protected my body, even when I was unaware of the virus. It’s His grace.

During my week 4 blood test, I got the call:

“There is no more hepatitis C virus in your system. It is undetected. And your liver enzymes are 10 and 14.”

PRAISE GOD!

Guys, if you can imagine it…I fell on my face and wept, giving Glory to God.

That’s the key.

When I found out my blood was virus-free, I didn’t yell out,

“Glory to Sovaldi! Glory to medicine!”

No.

The medicine did not get the Glory for my healing. God did.

The medicine was not my healer, only a tool God used.

I continued treatment to completion and so many more miracles and testimonies took place and they continue to. My friends rejoiced and stood with me, and God showed off His Glory.

I just had my 3 month post treatment appointment July 8th. It’s at this appointment that you take, yet another, blood test and they check to see if the virus is still Undetected. If the virus isn’t in your system at three months after treatment, the Doctors consider you “cured,”

AKA HEALED.

It was so awesome to hear when the nurse called and said,

“GOOD NEWS. YOU’RE CURED!”

She told me something I already knew, but it’s just fun when doctors confirm the word of God to you.

Friends, my God is so faithful. 1 Peter 2:24 says that Jesus died on the cross to take away our sins and our sicknesses. Healing is for you. It is the children’s bread, and you are a child of God.

Whatever process God’s healing comes, it is from HIM which Healing comes. He is the one who gets the Glory.

Don’t disregard what He has put in your life: friendships, prayer partners and tools for health and wholeness. Be brave to share your prayer requests. And shout your testimony from the rooftops.

Thank you for rejoicing with me.

I know God is faithful and I will live my life to proclaim that truth.